


The Adorable Matthinder Series

by slartibartfast



Category: Heroes - Fandom
Genre: Domestic, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-11-17
Updated: 2009-11-17
Packaged: 2017-10-03 04:54:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slartibartfast/pseuds/slartibartfast
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A few years ago I went through a severe Matt/Mohinder phase following the two of them adopting Molly Walker. I have since abandoned the show and the fandom but here are all my snippets put in one place. Varying in slash content, all deeply full of fluff.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Motherly Love

It wasn't as though the apron was pink. It didn't have even the slightest hint of a frill anywhere on it. It was plain and cream-coloured and suitable. There was nothing wrong, Mohinder thought, with keeping clothes clean through the cooking process.

Matt seemed to think differently.

There was that hint of tension in the air from the moment Matt walked into the room. Mohinder didn't look around, but he didn't need to. He could practically _feel_ the smirk creeping up across the kitchen. Somewhere in the background, disturbing that momentary silence, the door to Molly's room clicked shut.

"Nice day?" Mohinder offered when Matt didn't speak for another long moment.

"Not bad," came the reply.

It was followed by silence again. Mohinder still didn't turn around. He could see the smirk clear as day in his mind's eye anyway. His hands tensed around the wooden spoon and he felt his cheeks heat just a little bit. He spoke levelly enough, however. "How's Molly getting on at school?"

"Fine," said Matt. "She doesn't know you're back. _I_ didn't know you were back today."

"I thought I'd surprise her - and you - with a nice meal," he explained, and finally brought himself to look around at the cop behind him. "I know your talents in the kitchen leave a lot to be desired and thought perhaps Molly would like something other than processed take-outs."

Sure enough, that smirk was firmly in place, and it had only widened at the eye contact. Mohinder dropped the spoon and wiped his hands over the coarse material.

Matt openly grinned.

"What?" snapped Mohinder.

"Apron," said Matt, and it was about all he could manage as what could only be described as a giggle slipped into the conversation.

"What's wrong with it?"

"It's an apron."

Mohinder raised an eyebrow. "_So_?"

"You look like someone's _mother_." The giggle was turning into a full grown laugh, bouncing out mockingly in that Matt-like way.

Mohinder closed his eyes for a second and shook his head. "I'd try to find a way not to be offended by that, but I'm not sure that's possible."

"Sorry. No, sorry, you're right," Matt said, struggling to rein in his laugh. "_...Mom_."

As Mohinder rolled his eyes, the laughter burst forth again, a flurry of giggles and unattractive snorts. To Mohinder's chagrin, Molly took that moment to slink into the kitchen with a handful of paper and a curious smile.

"Molly!" cried Mohinder, glad for the distraction. Perhaps his voice was a little too loud, but then it had to be strong enough to climb over the mountain of mirth coming from the doorway where one very amused policeman was almost doubled over. Mohinder was trying _very_ hard to ignore him. "How was school?"

"It was okay," she said, taking one look at him before her gaze dropped down to the completely (in Mohinder's humble opinion) un-motherly apron. "...Mom," she added, straight-faced and subtly unserious.

Mohinder took the apron off and folded it away silently. A few stains on his shirt was _just about_ worth keeping a scrap of his dignity, after all.

At least he got a hug from Molly in reward.


	2. I Should Have Knocked

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pornier than the rest of the chapters. No Molly. Obviously.

Molly was at school, Mohinder was out, and Matt was happy enough to spend his day off alone in the apartment. It was a rare moment of peace. Things had become so hectic, so unreal and so desperately busy that he had had not a single instance to catch his breath for as long as his tired mind could remember.

So now, with an empty place and an empty mind, he was taking time out to himself.

The sheets were soft and clean beneath him; Mohinder had washed them just the previous day and they smelt of something sweet, something comforting as he relaxed into them.

It wasn't long before his thoughts strayed to anonymous faces and bodies as he slid his pants and boxers down his thighs. His hand wandered a moment later, and his eyes closed to his peaceful fantasies.

The door clicked open after barely a minute had passed.

"Shit," he gasped and in an instant, he had covered himself with the sheets around him and shuffled upwards, straightening his back. Matt's cheeks burned as their eyes met.

At least, he realised with relief, it wasn't Molly. Instead Mohinder stood there statue-still, mouth hanging slightly open as though he was waiting for the magic words to come. There was something... hot, something _wrong_ flitting through his mind and at that moment, Matt couldn't help but listen to those thoughts. They sent a warm rush through his stomach that he should have ignored.

But how could he when that strangely pretty face was staring hotly at his own?

Mohinder was the first to look away. Uncertainly had clouded his mind, confusion becoming a flurry of words and emotions that slid easily into Matt's mind. _I should have knocked_ being a prominent feature, but there was something more behind it, and maybe Matt was going a little bit crazy because he called out as Mohinder attempted to leave the room, leaving behind his stuttered apology.

"Wait."

He thinned his lips and looked down, looked away from the doorframe, too shocked at himself to risk knowing whether or not the other man had left the room.

_This is ridiculous_, came the thoughts, and _what am I doing? I have to go_ followed on close behind. There were no footsteps, no clicking door. He wasn't leaving. Seconds stretched out into hours, it seemed, as neither one of the men moved.

Something had to be done to break the silence.

Insanity crept into the room and settled itself firmly in Matt's mind as his hand snuck slowly lower once again, brushing at the edge of the sheets. He was still hard. He felt it loud in his mind the moment Mohinder noticed the movement; another explosion of thoughts where they had been dwindling; then the loud kind of silence from a mind going thoroughly blank as Matt slipped the hand lower and lower until - _there_.

He stroked himself slowly and unsurely at first, but the blankness from Mohinder just got louder and louder, punctuated with thoughts he should have blushed to overhear. They just urged him on, picked up his pace, made him gasp and arch up as though the thoughts were physical touches.

The sheets were wrapped around his waist and they tightened and pulled, suddenly, as the bed dipped beside him. Matt's hand clenched hard and he opened his eyes to meet the soft brown gaze above him, studying him, eyes so searching that Matt wondered briefly if he really was the only telepath in the room.

_Take off the sheet_, came the whisper of a thought. What could Matt do but obey? The blankets bunched away, down by his feet. He felt exposed until the warm body, smelling of crisp spring air, lined itself up against his own.

Mohinder didn't touch him other than that, didn't try to replace Matt's stuttering strokes or attempt to kiss him. It was more intimate than that. As the strokes became sharp and staccato, soft curls and a comforting forehead pressed against his shoulder. He came, then, with Mohinder's deep, rhythmic breath brushing over his collar and against his heated skin.

They didn't move for a long time after that, and that night, they shared a bed for the first time.


	3. Pain in the Ass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mohinder really should learn to keep his thoughts to himself.

It was harder than it looked, taking care of a child. Especially a child holding a pretty powerful gift, one who had already grown up far too quickly. She was a sweetheart, a treasure that Mohinder cherished, but she was also...

"...A complete pain in the ass," said Matt, his words sounding sudden and loud in the quiet of their lounge.

Mohinder considered chiding him, once again, for reading his mind uninvited, but he knew it would do little good. Instead, he just gave a slow shake of his head. "That's not quite how I would put it."

"How would you put it?"

"I was merely thinking she can be... a bit of a handful on occasion."

Matt rolled his eyes and reclined smugly back into the sofa. "Which is Suresh-talk for 'a complete pain in the ass'."

"It's understandable," Mohinder pointed out, though he knew there was no need. Matt had found her hiding away with her parents bodies mutilated metres away. Matt understood. "She has been through rather a lot."

Matt pulled a face. "Did you know she swapped that disgusting candy-flavoured toothpaste with mine the other morning? I didn't have time to brush again with the mint and had to go into work smelling of strawberries."

Mohinder's eyebrows raised. "And you didn't notice that you were scrubbing strawberries onto your teeth until it was too late?"

"I hadn't had my coffee yet," protested Matt. "I was still technically asleep."

"Right. Of course," he replied. Molly hadn't yet taken to pulling practical jokes on Mohinder, but perhaps it was because he was rather more observant and guarded than Matt (which was a little odd, considering the latter's profession and abilities). She would have a hard time tricking him.

Matt looked and sounded thoroughly affronted. "If you think that-"

"Which you know I do, having once again been prying into my mind..."

"-then I'm going to team up with her and get you good."

Okay, that was a threat that caught Mohinder's attention a little too firmly. The look in Matt's eye had turned dangerously teasing. He could practically see the gears working behind those mischievous eyes.

He suddenly really wished he could read minds.

Mohinder made a desperate grab for salvation, leaning forwards in his seat. "I didn't mean anything by that. It was just..."

"I know what it was," said Matt, and he was grinning a shark-like grin, or would be if he could ever truly look anything bordering on menacing. "And you'll see. I can be sneaky, you know. Real sneaky."

"Matt, please," said Mohinder, his eyebrows arching. "Don't be such a child."

"Oh, I'll show you 'child'," replied the cop, standing and waving a finger pointedly. The grin wasn't fading. "I'm going to make your life hell."

As Matt walked out, no doubt to do some thorough plotting, Mohinder couldn't help but give a thin lipped smile of amusement and yes, a touch of fear for his safety.

As if one 'pain in the ass' (as Matt had so eloquently put it) wasn't enough.


	4. Seeking the Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some changes are so huge it takes a while to even notice them; Mohinder wonders how they began.

Change was expected. Change was something normal and acceptable. Change was fine; he could cope with it, now. After all, it wasn't too long ago that he was looking forward to a reasonably comfortable, average life back in India. Now his world had turned upside down and he was in America, sharing the responsibility of a child and plotting against this semi-mysterious 'Company'.

It had been a lot to swallow, at first.

Understandably, there had recently been such sweeping, terrifying changes to Mohinder's world that he was having trouble recognising the smaller shifts. Perhaps it was just his nature; he had never been the most observant person when it came to things like this.

But it was kind of hard not to notice the fact he was sat too close to Matt on the cramped couch, their hands entwined between them.

Maybe, thought Mohinder, this all started when they agreed to take on Molly between them. That had been a commitment neither man had thought on for too long; it had been the right thing to do, and neither one of them would be around enough to take full responsibility on their own.

Then again, they had barely seen one another for those first weeks, so perhaps not.

Perhaps, instead, it was the first time Mohinder cooked for Matt. It had been an offhand thing, because he had had the time and the incentive; Matt had taken it with a grin and had chatted more freely than before with Mohinder that evening.

It had been a long time since Mohinder had smiled that much.

But no; that was too simple. Could a little _meal_ cause so much change? It had to be more than that. Mohinder shifted closer to Matt as he pondered the problem, his head coming to lie on his warm shoulder. Matt's chest rose and fell in a gentle, calming rhythm.

It could have started with the first time they really _touched_, more than accidentally; the time when Molly had spent forty minutes sobbing after the first of her horrific nightmares. The time when she had buried herself in a Matt-hug while Mohinder stood there silently, looking on and feeling entirely useless. Matt had tugged him over by his wrist and Molly had grabbed his hand as tight as a lifeline. Mohinder had stroked her hair comfortingly and he had felt a little less ineffective, for a while.

Matt's hand had rested on his shoulder in something like reassurance until Molly had calmed down. Until all _three_ of them had calmed down.

Yet that was just comfort, nothing more. Nothing to justify how he was tilting his head up, twisting his neck, meeting those dark eyes with his own and offering a smile that was horribly close to shy.

The only other thing he could think of was their dance. Oh yes, that dance. Mohinder had walked in with Molly at his side to find Matt wiggling and bouncing to some awful, scratchy music. Before he had had the chance to retreat, to laugh or to even work out that the other man was in fact attempting to _dance_, Matt had grabbed him and swung him around.

He couldn't dance to save his life, but then neither could Matt. In that moment, it hadn't mattered. It was fun and it was refreshing and after a moment, Molly had joined them too, and they all laughed together.

But then they had separated and things went back to normal. There were no signs of romance. It was nothing but a bit of fun. At least, that's what Mohinder had assumed.

"Stop thinking so loud," whispered Matt, and Mohinder was shocked to feel their breath mingle, then. He hadn't realised they were so close. He really _was_ awful at noticing the little things.

He smiled to himself. Maybe he couldn't quite put his finger on when this particular shift had taken place after all. It didn't matter, particularly. He _really_ couldn't miss just how much it had altered his entire world.

The first kiss they shared, then, was the best sort of change he could hope for.


	5. Of Marriage and Divorce

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mohinder and Matt have an argument. Molly starts to worry.

Once in a while, an argument would break out. They weren't overly common as neither of them spent _too_ much time in each other's way; especially in the morning, when both Matt and Mohinder had a tendency to get a little grouchy. Unfortunately, once in a while they would collide at exactly the wrong time, and there would be shouting. Lots of shouting.

This particular argument had started over nothing, in Mohinder's humble opinion. All he had done was to comment that Matt hadn't washed the dishes from the night before, and somehow that had been construed to be a personal attack on the man's competence as a everything from a father to a human being.

"That isn't what I _meant_, what I meant was that you-"

"It doesn't matter what you meant, I know what you _meant_!" cried Matt, his arms launched into what could only be described as a frustrated flail. "I can read your mind, remember?"

"Well stop it," he replied, "and that's nonsense because I wasn't even _thinking_ anything. I meant nothing by it. Now that you mention it, however; a little more neatness around the house wouldn't go amiss."

"_You_," said Matt, his finger jabbing in the direction of Mohinder's nose, "are a _total_ nightmare. Strutting off everywhere on your little _missions_ then coming back here, getting all up in arms about a couple of plates. Who the _hell_ do you think you are..."

Mohinder raised a hand, and Matt stopped abruptly.

Molly was in the doorway, her arms crossed over her chest and her lips thinned. Matt spoke first, dropping the dish cloth to walk to her side. "What is it, honey?"

Mohinder stepped over to join them, crouching down in front of her to meet her gaze. "It's okay, Molly. We were just... discussing..."

"Are you going to get divorced?" she asked abruptly. There was a distinct wobble in her voice.

Mohinder glanced at Matt who ducked his head in a guilty grin. "...No, Molly. We can't get divorced."

"Why not?"

"Because we're not married," said Matt in his most helpful tone.

"Alice Tully said her parents got divorced because they were arguing over the dishes," said Molly, her chin up defiantly.

"Molly..." started Mohinder. He paused, put his hands on her shoulders, and sighed. "Matt and I, we're not married. It's not the same thing."

"Oh," she replied, nodding slowly. A second later, comprehension dawned in the shape of a huge grin on her face. "Does that mean you're going to get married?"

Matt promptly collapsed into a fit of giggles. "Well we're already bickering like an old married couple..."

Mohinder sighed. This could be a very long discussion. The look he shot Matt was so poisonous it would have stopped _Sylar_ in his tracks.

Matt didn't stop giggling for a second.


	6. Happiness Is

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is 842 words of fluff. I mean, complete and utter fluff. There are no words for how fluffy this fluff is. I should write a massive load of angst just to restore balance in the world.

The first time they have sex, it's after a hard day and a big argument. It's rushed and awkward and they finish up with matching looks of surprise. Neither of them speak for a long time afterwards. Eventually, Matt gets up and moves to the couch.

They don't talk about it, but Mohinder's thoughts fill his mind for the next few days. He wishes he could block out the memories that the other man is playing around and around in his head, but when he tries, it turns out he's thinking about it as much himself underneath.

The second time isn't long after that.

At some point which neither of them can quite name, they start sharing a bed in a regular sort of way. Mohinder just comes home one night and settles down in the bed beside Matt like it's the most natural thing in the world.

Maybe it is.

Then one night Mohinder comes back tense and angry and it turns out he'd had a close call with the Company (he doesn't say what's wrong but it's hard to hide things from a telepath). He wraps himself up in Matt's arms and Matt doesn't let go until the next morning when he slips messily out of the tangle of limbs to take Molly to school. He has a special kind of smile all day at work, and it gets him through the bad stuff.

Then Molly catches them in the kitchen. They don't realise they're kissing until she coughs politely. Mohinder's cheeks darken a little but Matt turns fully cherry-red. Molly doesn't say a thing about it, doesn't ask a single question, just smiles and asks for ice cream. It's too late in the day for so much sugar but both of them are too shocked (both at themselves and at being caught) to say a thing and a moment later, Matt's sat at her side at the table and Mohinder's hiding himself in the shower.

That night, they go to their own beds but wake up together in the morning. Neither one is entirely sure who moved in the night, but they're comfortable and it's the weekend and both of them have a rare day off so it doesn't matter too much. They don't move until they hear Molly chattering to herself in the kitchen about something involving ponies and princesses.

The sex starts changing after that. It's not rushed or quick and it doesn't feel in the least bit awkward anymore. They're learning each other's bodies, plotting them out in their minds like the map Mohinder still keeps stored away somewhere hidden. The remnants of a past life. Matt loves the way Mohinder studies him, watches his every reaction and catalogues it back for future reference, making him gradually better at making him squirm. Mohinder loves the way Matt instinctively touches him in just the right places and says all the right things to make him moan.

Matt's the first one to realise maybe things are running a little deeper than either of them expected after the first hurried tryst, but he doesn't say anything. He still hears Mohinder wondering why on Earth they fall into bed together so often. He hears him pondering on whether Molly minds (she doesn't; Matt knows, he asked her once while Mohinder was at the lab) and whether he should just back away.

Like that's an option anymore.

It seems to be months of torture before Mohinder starts to clue on. Matt waits patiently, more patiently than he's ever waited before, because this is worth the uncertainty. They haven't spent a willing night apart in a long while. Sometimes, Molly climbs into bed between them in the night and they fight her nightmares away. She still calls them her heroes.

That's when Mohinder starts realising just how amazing a situation he's in. Past the lab, past the Company, past the trauma of every single day and all his recent memories; this is what he comes home to, and this is what keeps him sane. Matt catches him staring one evening as he plays some board game with Molly; when he offers for him to join them, he shakes his head but moves to sit next to Matt anyway. He leans in close to watch them and Matt goes that cherry-red once again when Mohinder leans on his shoulder, though he's not sure why. Molly giggles.

That night, they seem to lie closer together, though that's probably not possible. Mohinder's thoughts are so quiet that Matt thinks he must be falling asleep, which is why the whispered words seem so shatteringly loud.

"Matthew? I think... There's something I think I want to say to you."

But Matt hears before he speaks, and he smiles his biggest grin. "I love you too, Mo."

And despite everything, all the damage around them, when Molly crawls into the bed that night it's the happiest place in the world.


	7. Three Times Matt Hates Mohinder [Or Wants To]

1//

It's early in the morning and Molly hasn't done her homework. She's flustered and staring at the little exercise book with the dark green cover, eyes scanning over her English work.

Matt is packing her lunch and Mohinder walks into the room. Molly looks up, eyes bright and confused. "Mohinder! Can you help me with this?"

"You should have done it earlier," he says, and breezes past her with a kiss to her head. "I have to get to work. Matt will help you."

Dread hollows out Matt's stomach and his head snaps around. "Uh, _Mohinder_... I don't think..."

But it's no use, because the front door is already clicking shut. Molly looks at him hopefully and he shuts her lunch box, carrying it to her side. His cheeks feel hot with embarrassment as he attempts to read through her work, scanning over words that just won't form right in his mind.

She packs up her book a few moments later, lips thinned and work unfinished.

"I'm not so good with the words," he explains, but she thinks _it's not that hard_ and _didn't think he was stupid_ and in that moment, he thinks he might hit Mohinder when he next sees him.

Molly understands when he explains his dyslexia, but that doesn't change a thing.

 

2//

Sometimes it's quiet in the apartment but it's rare, so Matt makes the most of it; he kicks back, he relaxes and he takes the moment not to think about a goddamn thing. It's his favourite sort of time and he savours every _second_ of the break from their hectic lives, because it never lasts that long.

He gets home one day with Molly already in bed and Mohinder nowhere to be seen and thinks he might have found one of those moments, so he settles down in his favourite chair with a satisfied sigh.

Then Mohinder walks in and sits down, quiet as anything with a book in his head, but he has this really annoying song going round and round his head louder than Matt would think _possible_ and even though he doesn't recognise the tune, it's lodged in his mind quite firmly within minutes.

He hides all of Mohinder's tea and coffee the next day in retaliation, but he doesn't even notice; he just buys more and Matt could not possibly be more frustrated.

"I had that song in my head the other day," Mohinder says when Matt walks past him humming it, oblivious as ever.

Matt _very_ nearly hits him that time. It's a good job he left his gun in the other room.

 

3//

The morning of Matt's birthday, nothing happens. It's _infuriating_. It's his first birthday for as long as he can remember without Janice making a fuss. He doesn't get a card, or breakfast, or a good morning kiss.

He sits at the table and Mohinder's nowhere to be seen; Molly doesn't say a word to him beyond 'morning', just chomps away at her sugary cereal and sings a song about sunshine in her head. Matt sighs and drinks too much coffee. He's sure he dropped enough hints; a swell of anger settles in his chest and this time he really will hit Mohinder.

Then just before he's about to leave for work feeling like crap, there's the clearing of a throat behind him and there's Mohinder with a plate full of the most delicious looking cake he's ever seen, complete with a single candle on the top, one of those cool ones that shower little sparks as they burn. It surprises a laugh out of him and his whole mood does a back flip into happy.

Molly starts singing 'happy birthday!' and Mohinder apologises for not finding enough candles for his age and Matt does hit him, but it's light and friendly and accompanied by what just might be the biggest smile he's ever given anyone.

"I don't think I can stomach cake this early," Matt laughs.

Mohinder just gives him a bright grin. "Then you can save it for later. Molly and I have quite a few hours after work and school to treat you, after all. Happy birthday, Matthew."

Maybe Matt hates him a little bit for making him angst (even for just a little while), but the friendly birthday kiss Mohinder plants on his cheek on their way out of the door pretty much makes up for that.


End file.
